D'Onta Foreman

914 rushing yards in 2022 with Carolina after Christian McCaffrey was traded — a top-15 finish out of nowhere.

When Carolina shipped Christian McCaffrey to San Francisco in October 2022, the keys went to Foreman. He responded with five 100-yard games in 11 post-trade starts, including a season-best 31 carries for 130 yards vs Atlanta and a 165-yard outing vs Detroit in Week 16.

Final line: 203 carries, 914 yards, 5 TDs in 16 games — a top-15 rushing finish for a back nobody was talking about in September.

Why it matters. Foreman went from borderline roster cut to the No. 1 back on a 16-game workload in a single trade — and delivered, proving he could handle a true starter's role when given the chance.

From 3rd-round Texan to free-agent journeyman — 6 teams of sporadic touches.

Drafted in the 3rd round by Houston in 2017, Foreman tore his Achilles late in his rookie year and never carried the ball more than 8 times in a Texans game again. He bounced through Tennessee, Carolina, Chicago, and Cleveland — four organizations in four years — used in every form of running-back role from emergency starter to short-yardage to backup.

Why it matters. Foreman's career arc is a study in opportunity cost: an Achilles torn in year one suppressed his development window, and every subsequent year with volume was tied to someone else's misfortune.

2021 + 2022: 336 carries, 1,480 yards, 4.40 YPC. The two years where the door opened.

Foreman's two starter-share seasons (2021 TEN + 2022 CAR): 336 carries, 1,480 rushing yards, 8 TDs, 4.40 YPC. Both came when the team in front of him was hurt or traded — Derrick Henry's foot injury in 2021, then Christian McCaffrey's trade in 2022.

Outside of those two years he had just 287 career carries across the other five seasons combined, with no other season clearing 500 rushing yards.

Why it matters. Both starter stints came when injuries or trades created openings — Foreman was productive each time, but never received an extension or a true offseason starter designation.

Career-best 165 yards vs Detroit, Week 16 2022 — on 21 carries (7.9 YPC).

Week 16, 2022, Carolina at Detroit: Foreman went 21 carries for 165 yards and a TD — a 7.9 YPC explosion. Carolina lost 37-23, but Foreman cleared 100 yards on multiple long breakaways and the game stood as his career high in rushing yards.

His next-best games: 132 (2021 vs MIA, Wk 17), 130 (2022 vs ATL, Wk 10), 118 twice (both 2022).

Why it matters. A single-game explosion at 7.9 YPC on 21 carries — against a defense — is the kind of performance that keeps a journeyman back on NFL rosters for eight seasons.

2022: Foreman's only career season with positive rushing EPA — top-10 among all 150-carry backs that year.

Across six measurable seasons, 2022 was the only year Foreman posted a positive average EPA per rush (+0.020). That season he ranked 8th of 34 backs with at least 150 carries by that metric — top 24% in the league. Every other season he was a net-negative rusher by EPA, including a steep -0.340 in his 2024 Cleveland stint.

Career totals: 623 carries, 2,558 rushing yards, 14 TDs across 59 regular-season games — efficient in flashes, limited by opportunity throughout.

Why it matters. Among the 34 running backs who logged 150+ carries in 2022, only 10 posted positive average EPA per rush — Foreman ranked 8th. It's the one season where his efficiency matched his opportunity.